There has been much talk about the slogan ‘Black Lives Matter‘ with many people saying instead that all lives matter. I think it’s a good topic for debate and to gain understanding.
To me, saying ‘all lives matter‘ is to deny that racism exists. It denies the experience of many black people who are not treated as white people would have been. Think of the man who achieved the highest office in America. Would anyone have raised the ‘birther’ question had Barack Obama been white? Saying all lives matter also closes down debate on the issue, suggesting that the very particular problems black communities experience are no different from that of anyone else therefore we shouldn’t talk or do anything about it.
The term ‘black lives matter‘ is not saying that only black lives matter. It means that black lives matter as much as other lives, whether that is in the undue violence meted out to the black community, the discrimination they face in healthcare , employment and housing and in many, many other ways.
I’ll put a link on the next post, explaining why saying all lives matter is wrong. If you only look at one item, please watch All Plates Matter. It sums it up in two minutes. Be part of the solution and not part of the problem.
EllanVannin
I'd remove the police from the state of Minneapolis, they're dangerous psychopaths.
Minneapolis is a city
bluecat, Thank you for saying what I felt thinking so eloquently. It is driving me nuts having so many people say that such as such is not racist, when it clearly is.
Saying ‘all lives matter’ is so totally missing the point, white lives have always mattered, have always been privileged, black lives have notanan , so it needs to be shouted from the highest mountain YES BLACK LIVES MATTER To try to explain by saying all lives matter completely dilutes the problem to a nothing and it is not a nothing it is a HUGE huge blight on human beings who can feel empathy for one and not another because their skin colour
Racism is still very much alive as much as people want to believe it isn’t I m glad people are having their eyes opened
Yes, bluecat - that was very eloquently and imaginatively put. Bluebelle too.
@Bluebelle 'Saying ‘all lives matter’ is so totally missing the point, white lives have always mattered, have always been privileged,' Did this apply between 1914 -1918?
The two incidences of black on white which I received were racist, I have no doubts. I know how being shouted at by a racist feels so can imagine how those who are treated worse must feel. However, I return to what can we do now? Even the best Femi could come up with was bind CVs which just might get an interview in a racist company but still wouldn't get a job.
How does racilism not go both ways? If it involves the colour of your skin then it is racial prejudice? Or am I missing something? Being called a white fucking bitch is ok because I'm white priveledged?
So what is the way forward? Yes education more taught in schools but naturally children from a young age are more accepting of each other, so should they not be the sample going forward?
Bluecat why does your God put black people together with being poor is that because he presumes all whites are well off in this life?
I know lots of black people that are successful and have good careers and are higher up the ladder than I've ever been.
Racism is systematic oppression of an entire people because of the colour of their skin. Prejudice is not liking someone because of the colour of their skin. They aren't the same thing.
White priveledge is not your ability to have things, white priveledge is the colour of your skin not affecting your ability to have things. It doesn't mean the same thing as just the word "Priveledge" on its own.
dayvidg
@Bluebelle 'Saying ‘all lives matter’ is so totally missing the point, white lives have always mattered, have always been privileged,' Did this apply between 1914 -1918?
Yes. Yes it did.
People were not being killed Or mistreated because of the colour of their skin, they were being killed because of the war.
Thank you Starblaze for explaining that although said abuse at work was put down as racial abuse. I have been slightly confused with the term white priveledged. I can see how I may have taken that for granted.
Just watched a video of football supporters guarding the statue of Winston as protestors shout Winston is a racislist?
My problem with all this destroying or trying to destroy statues if they are that offence why have people not tried to get them removed before?
No one can 're write history we can only learn, grow and go forward together.
Jishere, I understand because I used to be the same, I grew up in poverty and not really exposed to racism and not thinking it really happened. My opinions have changed dramatically with time as I've seen how widespread it is.
The problem with statues is they are generally commemorative and perhaps that's not something we want celebrated. Remembered yes, those statues will still exist in books and books are how we get our history.
One of my favourite things about history in schools now is that children aren't really taught sides, they are shown what happened and encouraged to see and understand both sides and how situations happened. This teaches them how to think critically and apply history to their own lives.
This helps us understand each other now. Some are racist, true, and are bad people, some however just need to understand and learn and be a bit better than they were before.
The poor man who was killed in cold blood ? it was also a crime against humanity ... to not be disgusted, angry, outraged and upset at what the world witnessed with George Floyd, is something only a person with no heart or soul would be made of ?
The problem with statues is they are generally commemorative and perhaps that's not something we want celebrated. Remembered yes, those statues will still exist in books and books are how we get our history.
I agree Starblaze And also statues often commemorate one specific aspect of a persons life/actions but with no recognition/acknowledgement of other actions etc. In the case of Colston that statue celebrated the man as a great philanthropist whilst completely ignoring the fact that he made that money he was generous with by being one of the most ruthless and cruel slave traders of his time!!
Of course Starblaze it's all about educating.
But how do we get balance when the removal of some statues will cause ill feeling to some? Isn't this just going to cause more anger?
It might cause more anger, but should also cause more education.
I will say, I have a hard time understanding why people get so upset about the removal of statues/names on buildings of people, who by today’s standards are not people we would admire.
They might have been “of their time”, but we should learn, move on, and do better from that
Is Bristol a worse place today than it was before the statue was removed? Is anyone suffering by its removal?
At least 3 more statues are coming down, goodness knows what's going to replace the empty plinths/columns.
Liverpool's famous Rodney street is in for a name change along with a couple of others.
*At least 3 more statues are coming down, goodness knows what's going to replace the empty plinths/columns.
Liverpool's famous Rodney street is in for a name change along with a couple of others.*
And?
Changing the name of a street does not mean it will change the views of people living in the street
Peardrop650. As much as the abhorrence of your DIL and GD experience there is something needing to be said. When a section of society is seen to be gaining reparation advantage and another section denied is when it becomes aggrieved and reacts accordingly. What the latter see is not equality, but inequality. What should also be consider is that when one section of society perceives an historical figure/statue to be offensive and vandalised, so another sees its history being maligned and destroyed.
One positive thing which could be done is to investigate and then try to change areas where black lives are less valued. For example the fatality rate for black women in childbirth. It is huge compared with white fatalities www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47115305
The judicial system needs investigation as well. There is evidence that black people are treated less favourably.
It's a question of gathering data and then looking at processes and implementing changes.
Changing the name of a street does not mean it will change the views of people living in the street
No it doesn't. But explaining why the change is being made or even being considered, putting up plaques that explain the history or using honest history on that street name to teach kids, as part of a reviewed curriculum that does not sanitise out the uncomfortable bits, just might!
Many Children are taught racism in the home
True. That does not mean they cant be presented with alternative viewpoints
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